An advocate for the introduction of the advanced mark, Billy Joe Padden considered the impact - or lack thereof - the rule may have on the best team playing Gaelic football on Off the Ball.
Of those inter-county players who have been most vocal in their criticism of the advanced mark rule, a contingent of Dublin's five-in-a-row winning stars have not been shy coming forward.
"I do think it’s terrible but I probably resolved that I should at least see it before I continue to [criticise it]," admitted Jack McCaffrey to Off the Ball. Although the sentiments of his manager Dessie Farrell didn't go quite as far as that, he nevertheless remains fearful that the rule change could be a burden on the game's attacking element.
In a later conversation with Off the Ball, star forward Paul Mannion was equally concerned.
"You'll see a lot more stop-start scenarios and games being potentially being decided by a just a simple mark," he stressed. "It'll take some time to get used to, and it could turn out to be a great thing but on first impressions, I think it's a step backwards probably yeah."
For Billy Joe Padden, Dublin's reluctance to embrace the introduction of the mark rule is not surprising.
"I can see where they're coming from," he said to Off the Ball. "It is totally understandable that they would be wary of these rule changes.
"They are the best at playing the game the way it has been over the last six years, and maybe some of the skills they have are a bit different.
"Jack McCaffrey is maybe the best running footballer we've ever seen and maybe the game will change a little bit more where there will be more value in a fella in the half-back line that can play that 40-metre kick pass for another fella to make the mark."
In a lengthy discussion on the merits and possible changes that may come with the advanced mark, you can watch back Billy Joe Padden and Cliodhna O'Connor here.
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